Just a Bit of Mistletoe
by Of Memories Past
Summary: It's Christmas Eve ad Kagome has convinced a certain hanyou to spend it with her and her family. Water guns, mistletoe, and...snowman pajamas? Oh dear...read and review! Enjoy!


DISCLAIMER: Do you think I own anything? I wouldn't have to right these if I did! I don't own Inuyasha!

A/N: A little early for Christmas, yes. But oh well. Pure fluff here. **ONE SHOT**

Just a Bit of Mistletoe

By: _Of Memories Past_

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     "So this is that Christmas you've been rambling on and on about for two weeks now." The silver-haired hanyou snorted and removed the bright, red haori before flopping down flat on his back on the soft bed. "You dragged us away from hunting the shards to look at a bunch of lights?"

     Kagome clenched her eyes shut and counted to ten. He had done nothing but complain since they had arrived at her house. First it had been the whining about the pain the fluorescent lights caused his eyes, and then it had been the hot chocolate and the small train running merrily around the tree on its track. She grimaced when she thought of his reaction to the hot chocolate. Not realizing that it was hot, Inuyasha had burned his tongue thoroughly only to hear a sharp whistle of the train two seconds later, scaring him so badly that he had yelped and jumped on Kagome's back. Glaring at him slightly, Kagome rubbed her sides where bruises were sure to form.

     "It's not about lights, Inuyasha," she grumbled, reaching over to tweak and ear. "It's about love, family, being with others, the Christmas Story. It has meaning!"

     "Looks like and excuse to play around to me," he said as he lifted his head off the bed and looked at her skeptically. "I think you just wanted a break from the shards."

     "Listen you," Kagome warned angrily. She moved over and sat on his chest, getting down in his face. "I wanted you to come and spend time with me and my family. I wanted to share this special time of the year with _you_. But you're sitting here, grumbling about everything when you haven't even begun to give it all a chance! Now, stop being impossible, and try to enjoy yourself!" She glared down at him.

     Inuyasha bared his fangs and growled quietly up at the girl sitting on his chest, returning the same glare that she was giving him. He knew that he was being impossible, but he was not about to admit it.

     Kagome's mouth quirked upward a bit as she watched Inuyasha's threat. His fangs? He was showing her his fangs? A sudden peal of laughter erupted from the girl as she sat back and swiped at the tears of mirth that were beginning to show themselves. Her smile and laughter only grew when a very annoyed hanyou slightly lifted his head only to growl and bare his fangs once again. It was too much for her. Clutching her bruised sides, Kagome rolled to the side of the bed, enjoying the feeling of enjoyment surging through her being.

       "What's your problem, wench?" Inuyasha demanded. He sat up on the bed and grasped the rolling Kagome, pulling her into his lap since her attention at the moment wandered everywhere except to him. He watched as she got her hysterics under control, but that same wide smile still remained on her face. "What are laughing about?"

     Kagome reached up and scratched his ears quickly before pointing to his mouth. "You growled at me."

     He was annoyed. Tell him something he did not know. "I growl at you all the time. What's the big deal?"

     "Your teeth. You were baring your teeth at me." She grinned again.

     "Feh." He turned his face from her and looked out the window and watched the snow softy fall onto the ground below, gently coating the trees on its journey down. He would not admit it out loud, but it was actually in fact very pretty—peaceful.

     "What are you looking at?"

     Inuyasha quirked and eyebrow and faced Kagome. "What do you mean, wench?"

     Kagome rolled her eyes and knocked him back on the bed. "I do have a name you know."

     "Feh."

     "Don't 'feh' me." She paused for a moment and looked down at his annoyed face. A smirk crossed her own face and she held back a giggle when she saw the tip of one fang slightly poking out of his mouth. It was rather cute. Without thinking, Kagome reached forward and touched the tip. "Are they sharp?"

     Inuyasha pulled back, a bit surprised, and looked at Kagome as if she had just grown two heads. "Of course they're sharp! What would make you think they weren't?!" 

     Shrugging, Kagome laced her fingers together as a slight blush crept into her cheeks. "Can I touch them?"

     His eyes went wide. "What?" It was not surprising how she and everyone else wanted to touch his _ears_. It happened all the time. But his fangs?

     "I…I want to see how sharp they are," she stammered.

     He eyed her warily before hesitantly parting his lips to allow Kagome access into his mouth.  Her fingers lightly brushed his top lip as she reached forward to touch the fangs, and he opened his mouth wider.

     Kagome could not help but grin as he allowed her to touch his fangs. She found him absolutely adorable stretched out on her bed, his mouth opened uncertainly so that she could feel the sharp canines. But then again, he was also _more _than adorable lying there with his hakama slightly opened. She had a fairly decent view of his toned chest. It was quite alluring, actually.

     Sighing, Kagome averted her gaze back to his fangs and smiled when she noticed the questioning look covering his features. Once thing was for sure: those teeth were definitely as sharp as they looked. She tweaked the corner of his mouth before removing her prodding fingers.

     Inuyasha propped himself up on his elbows as she sat back on his stomach and eyed her curiously again. He noticed the red tinge to her cheeks and smirked smugly. It had been hard not to notice where her eyes had wandered to when she was supposed to be feeling his fangs, but now he found that her eyes where currently staring at the same spot yet again. He cleared his throat, clearly letting her know that he saw where her gaze presently rested. 

     "Find something interesting?"

     Kagome blushed and even deeper shade of red and turned her face away. "I'm sorry…I just…I…I…" She hung her head, completely oblivious on how to cover up her obvious staring. Might as well just face the music. "Sorry."

     The sound of chuckling brought her head back up. She looked at the silver-haired hanyou as he reclined on her bed laughing, eyes closed, with his strong shoulders shaking slightly with his laughter. He opened his amber orbs for just a moment and looked at her miserable face before bursting out with laughter again.

     "Stop it, Inuyasha," she ordered, willing her cheeks to turn back to their normal color. Any attempt to do so failed as he lean up more and the white material opened even wider. Kagome swallowed and averted her gaze to his face.

     "Nervous?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, daring her to deny it.

     But, of course, Kagome denied it anyway. "What would make you think I'm nervous?" 

     "Oh, I don't know," Inuyasha said lightly, reaching forward. He gently pressed his fingers under her throat, feeling the pulse there. "Maybe it's because your heart is racing?"

     Kagome swallowed again. "It…it is not." She inwardly rolled her eyes. _Great denial, Kagome._

     "Oh, yes it is. I can hear it clearly." Inuyasha smirked and sat up, grinning even more as Kagome's eyes grew wider. Lazily draping his arms over her shoulders and around her neck, he pulled her closer. "And I bet I can make it go a lot faster," he whispered in her ear.

     Kagome shuddered and tried to pull herself away, but is hold on her was strong. "Inuyasha, let go!"

     "Are you nervous, Kagome?" he asked again, tightening his hold. The close proximity allowed to the scent of her hair to become even stronger to his already keen sense of smell, and he leaned his face into her hair, breathing in the aroma deeply before pulling back. "You smell like the flowers back home." 

     "I do?" she asked, forgetting her previous nervousness. She giggled as he buried his face in her hair again. It tickled. "Inuyasha, stop! That tickles!"

     Inuyasha did not stop. As a matter of fact, he raised his claws and began lightly running them up and down her neck, careful not to scratch her. He chuckled as Kagome squirmed in his hold, laughing merrily from her mild form of torture. He was enjoying the lighthearted contact as much as she was, maybe even more so since he was not the one being tickled.

     But all good things must come to an end.

     Inuyasha did not know what possessed him to do it, but he suddenly leaned forward and softly, but quickly, nipped at her neck.     

     The playful mood from before disappeared as soon as it had started, leaving a startled Kagome and a bewildered Inuyasha staring at each other. She slowly raised a hand to the spot where she had felt the fangs she had been touching only minutes earlier graze her flesh and looked up at the hanyou. His own face reflected her startled look.

     "Did you just bite me?" she whispered. Her dark eyes searched his golden ones.

     Inuyasha scowled and turned his face away. "Feh! I didn't bite you that hard, girl."

     "No," Kagome agreed quietly, shaking her head. "It felt…nice."

     "Nice?"

     Kagome smiled shyly and nodded.

     Inuyasha suddenly tightened his hold on her and drew her closer. He watched as her eyes widened when he tilted her head to the side and pulled her raven hair back from her neck. Another smirked touched his lips when he heard her heartbeat speed up again.

     "Inuyasha?"

     He remained silent and leaned down, nipping at her neck gently several times before raising his lips and lightly kissing her cheek. Pulling back, he looked at a faintly stunned Kagome.

     But she shook out of her daze and pinned him with a mildly aggravated look. "You confuse me, Inuyasha." She grasped the front of his hakama. "Very badly sometimes."

     Inuyasha simply tilted her chin up. "_I_ confuse me." 

     Kagome closed her eyes as he lowered his head, his lips mere inches from hers.

     "HEY!"

     A sudden stream of cold water shook the pair out of their tender moment. Inuyasha brushed his hand across his face and grimaced. He was soaked. A quick glance over to Kagome showed that she had only gotten sprayed with what had hit him, but she rubbed at her clothes and face just the same.

     "And what do you think you two are doing?" a young voice piped up.

     Inuyasha and Kagome looked over to the door and saw Souta standing there, water gun in hand and prepared to shoot again. The little boy glared at the half-demon he usually viewed to be his hero.

     "Don't you be getting fresh with my sister, Inuyasha," he warned. The look on his face was deadly serious.

     Inuyasha snorted and held Kagome closer. "Yeah, what are you going to do about it, Souta?"

     Kagome buried her face into the hanyou's shoulder to stifle her giggles. Souta really was quite endearing as he determined to protect her dressed in his Santa and reindeer pajamas and brandishing a gigantic super soaker. 

     "He not going to hurt me, Souta," Kagome eased, grinning brightly. This was just too cute.

     "Oh yeah?"

     "Yeah!" Inuyasha bit out angrily. He was not some criminal out to rape the boy's sister!

     "Well, I don't care!" Souta chose that moment to let another steady stream of water attack Inuyasha. "Let her go!"

     The hanyou calmly stood up and wiped water out of his eyes. "Excuse me, Kagome."

     Souta looked up wide-eyed as Inuyasha eyed him dangerously. And he dared to let him have it right in the face again.

     Two seconds later, a screaming Souta tore down the hall with Inuyasha hot on his heels, only turning around every so often to attack his hero with another squirt.

     Kagome merely laughed hysterically from her room.

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     Five minutes later Inuyasha had Souta pinned underneath him and had the super soaker in his possession. The little boy squirmed and laughed hysterically, futilely attempting to dislodge his body from the demon. Inuyasha smirked and sat on the boy's legs to completely immobilize him.

     "Ok, runt," he directed to Souta, "how do you work this thing?"

     Souta giggled and squirmed some more. "I'm not telling!"

     "Oh yes you are," Inuyasha warned. He raised his claws. "Or I'm going to use these."

     Souta's eyes grew wide as he looked at the sharp claws. He swallowed. "You wouldn't?"

     Inuyasha noticed the look of terror on the boy's face and rolled his eyes. "Oi, runt, I wouldn't hurt you!" He lowered the sharp objects to Souta's ribs and smiled deviously. "These do have more than one purpose, you know." With that, he began to mercilessly tickle the boy who had interrupted his and Kagome's little moment.

     Souta burst out laughing as he was attacked with the more gentle side of Inuyasha's claws. He just prayed that the half-demon would not figure out how to use the water gun.

     No such luck.

     A sudden stream of water plastered Souta right in the face. The sat up, spitting water out of his mouth to see Inuyasha eying the gun as if it were the most valuable thing in the world. 

     "Ah ha!" Inuyasha pointed the water gun at the boy again. "Looks like you're out of luck. Seems your days of interrupting are over."

     "Wait!" Souta cried before he was assaulted again.

     Inuyasha took his finger off the trigger and waited patiently for the boy to speak up.

     Souta licked his dry lips. "If you want to kiss my sister, you have to do it properly!"

     "Properly?" he asked, giving the boy his hand to help him up. "I wasn't exactly going to assault her, runt."

     "But it's Christmas!" Souta insisted. "You need mistletoe!"

     His ears twitched. What was this mistletoe, and why was it so important?

     So, Souta went on to explain to the confused half-demon what mistletoe was, along with all of its purposes. Inuyasha listened wide-eyed as one of the many Christmas traditions became acquainted with him. Mistletoe, huh? Well, then…

     Inuyasha smirked at the boy. "Where can I get this mistletoe stuff?"

     "Uh...you'll have to ask my mom. She might have some somewhere." Souta took the water gun from Inuyasha and tossed it aside. "But Mom said to be down for dinner at six, so we had better head down to the kitchen in a few minutes."

     Inuyasha nodded and then knelt down. "Hop on."

     "Really?" Souta asked with wide eyes. Inuyasha was going to let him have a ride?

     Inuyasha chuckled. "It's just down to the kitchen, kid."

     Souta did not need to be asked again. He enthusiastically jumped onto his hero's back, throwing his small arms around his neck and clinging to his sides tightly. 

     "Can we go for a run later?"

     The hanyou hefted the boy up and made sure he was on tight before walking over to the window and opening it. The snow swirled around outside and a sharp wind blew some into the room. Souta snuggled down into Inuyasha's soft, silver hair, choking a bit when the air stream blew a little into his mouth.

     Inuyasha laughed at the boy and climbed up onto the windowsill. "Well, we have a few minutes, so why don't we go now?" He leapt out into the night with a laughing Souta clinging to his back.

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     "Let me help you with that."

     Mrs. Higurashi smiled and handed the dished over to her new helper. "Thank you, Inuyasha." She returned to washing and allowed the hanyou to dry.

     Doing the dishes was not as bad as Souta and Kagome had made it out to be. The silence surrounding them as they quietly worked actually proved to be quite soothing. And he felt strangely comfortable around Mrs. Higurashi. She gave off the feeling of "home" and "mom" that he had not felt since he was little.

     "Mrs. Higurashi?" he asked, somewhat tentatively.

     Putting the dish she was currently watching down, Mrs. Higurashi looked up at Inuyasha with a smile on her face. 

     "Yes, Dear?"

     He dropped the dishtowel onto the counter and hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Do…do you have any mistletoe?"

     Mrs. Higurashi blinked her eyes a few times, trying to register what she just heard. "Mistletoe?"

     Inuyasha blushed and nodded his eyed.

     A sudden peal of laughter erupted from the woman as she threw her arms around the half-demon that stood a good distance taller than her, hugging him closely and rocking him back and forth. She was, needless to say, happy.

     Surprise etched on his face, Inuyasha could only hug her back and wait for her squeals to subside. But, he admitted to himself that it did feel nice to have the arms of a mother wrapped around him after so long. He hugged her tighter.

     "Well, it's about time," the ecstatic woman said, tweaking his ears as she ran out of the kitchen. "I believe that I have some in a box somewhere. Oh! And I have some gold ribbons that would make it look pretty!" She hurried off, chattering to herself the entire way about how she could make that mistletoe look pretty.

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     _Oh, this is cute._ Kagome hid her smile in the pillow she lay on from the couch as Inuyasha came downstairs, blanket in hand and brandishing the most adorable pair of snowman flannel pajamas she had ever seen. Her mother had really outdone herself this time. Sitting up, she allowed that brilliant smile to be illuminated by the colorful lights in the dark room.

     Inuyasha stopped at the base of he stairs and quirked an eyebrow, making him look even more adorable. He had obviously been sleeping just as deeply as he had when she left him and still struggled to keep his eyes opened. When he yawned, his sharp canines glistened in the dim light caused by the tree decorations and small fire in the fireplace. 

     "What are you doing down here, wench?" 

     Kagome chose to ignore the insult and smiled while she stretched. "I always sleep down here on Christmas Eve. I have since I was little."

     "Why?" This was confusing to him. Was not her bed more comfortable?

     Her eyes slid to the lights on the Christmas tree as her memories took her back. "When I was little, I slept down here to wait for Santa Claus. I was so determined to see him every year," her voice drifted, "but I always fell asleep." 

     Another smile crossed her lips, the unique feeling of euphoria that only Christmas bestowed on the world filling her being. It truly was a special time of year. "Even after I stopped believing in Santa Claus, I still slept down here. It sort of became my own tradition. I don't think I could go a Christmas without doing it."

     Inuyasha chewed his bottom lip in contemplation. "Santa Claus? That's they guy with the sled who likes to steal cookies, right?"

     Kagome laughed softly. "Yes, but he doesn't steal cookies. The kids leave them _for him_." 

     "Oh."

     She watched him stand there uncertainly for a moment, chewing his bottom lip again. It was quite cute as he stood there, blanket in hand and in those pajamas, chewing with only his front teeth so that the sharp canines would not cut him. She could only imagine how many mishaps must have occurred trying to learn to do that.

     "Cute pajamas," she opted to say, a sparkle in her eyes.

     "Feh." Cute? No, Shippo was cute. This was just…he did not know, but he should not have been wearing them.

     Kagome's sudden laughter caused his head to snap up. 

     "Oh, stop looking like that!" She stopped laughing all of a sudden and looked down as her own teeth emerged to chew her own lip. "Stay with me?" 

      Inuyasha eyed her curiously for a moment before nodding his head.

     A shy smiled lit up her features as she held her arms out to him.

     He did not know if it was the strange aura that he holidays created or perhaps something else, but he slowly made his way over to the couch, dropped the blanket onto the arm and went into her arms. His own wrapped around her tightly as she rested her chin over his shoulder.

     "Oi, Kagome," he mumbled. "What's gotten into you?" But he simply closed his eyes, breathing in her scent as she tucked her chin closer to his neck.

     "Nothing's wrong with me, Inuyasha," she whispered. "Am I allowed to just want to hug you sometimes?" She held him more tightly. "Because right now, that's all I want to do."

     "Why?" he asked, having a hard time swallowing the fact. All his life people had tried anything they could to stay away from him, much less touch him physically. Now, here was a girl, one he cared about more than he would admit, who wanted nothing more than to have her arms wrapped around him. It was confusing.

     "Because I care about you," Kagome spoke softly, pulling back from him a bit so that she could look him in the eyes. "I like being near you." She absently reached up and began idly playing with the silver forelocks. "I like touching you. You're warm, you're safe, and…" she stuck him with a slight glare, "…you're more affectionate than you let on." Leaning into his embrace once more, Kagome closed her eyes. "I know I'm safe with you."

     Inuyasha smirked and held her closer to him. "You're really open, you know that?"

     Kagome lifted her head and smiled. "Are you complaining?"

     "No," he grinned. "Just don't get mad at me if I'm not as eloquent as you." He smiled again and laid back against the arm of the couch, resting Kagome on his chest as he nonchalantly played with her midnight tresses.

     "Actions speak louder than words, Inuyasha," she smiled, bracing her elbows against his chest so she could look down at his face. His amber eyes reflected the glow that the burning fire embers. But what was more surprising, they also reflected the same warmth, shining tenderly as he cupped her face in his hand.

     "Inuyasha?"

     He smiled deviously and reached behind him before raising his arm into the air. A slight chuckle escaped his lips as he watched her wide-eyed gaze come back down to his face after sighting the sprig of mistletoe that streamed with shining gold ribbons.

     "Merry Christmas, Kagome," he whispered, tossing the mistletoe aside and lightly cupping her face with his other hand as well.

     "Merry Christmas," she returned in a daze.

     Inuyasha smiled and pulled her face down to his, pressing his mouth gently against hers. He felt her stiffen at first before relaxing and settling her weight on him. He held back a smiled when he felt the tentative pressure of her own lips push against his.

     "Kagome," he murmured, his speech cut off as she placed her mouth over his own once again.

     The gentle caresses that they pressed against each other's mouths were sweet and innocent, neither wanting to ruin what they had hoped for. Inuyasha kissed the corner of her mouth and her forehead before tenderly claiming her lips again. The girl in his arms sighed and he took that opportunity to lightly touch his tongue to hers before pulling back and resting his weight against the couch that held them. His hand rested against the side of her face as he affectionately looked up at her.

     Kagome turned her face and kissed his hand before smiling gently. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she looked down at him, noticing the caring shimmer in his golden eyes. That look was meant for her.

     A shining tear fell down her cheek as she smiled at him. "Do you know how much you mean to me?"

     Inuyasha nodded and sat up slowly, careful not to throw off her balance. "I just wish I could put into words how much you mean to me." He leaned forward and nipped at her neck again, like he had done earlier.

     Kagome blushed.

     "It's a sign of affection, Kagome," he explained, laughing quietly. "My mother called it a 'Pup Kiss.' I use to do it to her all the time."

     "A pup kiss," she mulled softly. The blushing girl leaned forward and nipped at his neck. "I think I like it."

     Kagome brushed her lips across his once more before standing up and walking over to the Christmas tree. Her gaze rested on the lights and ornaments for a while as she contemplated.

    He silently watched her form, noticing how beautiful she was surrounded by the glow of the lights.

     After a few minutes, Kagome turned back to him. "I'm glad you came, Inuyasha."

     Inuyasha silently got up and walked over to her, tilting her chin up and kissing her lightly. He lingered a few moments before releasing her lips.

     "I'm glad that I came too."

     Kagome smiled and draped her arms around his neck before looking up at him and blushing again. "Inuyasha?"

     "Hmmm?" He encircled her waist in his arms and looked down at her tinted cheeks.

     Her eyes shone with a modest shyness as she looked at him before her gentle voice spoke. "Kiss me?"

     _Kiss me. _She needed the contact and assurance as much as he did. Leaning down, Inuyasha rested his forehead against hers, his eyes locked with her dark orbs. "Anytime," he whispered before lowering his mouth to hers.

     Kagome gasped as his mouth seized hers in a caress much more heated than before. His demanding touch seared her lips, leaving her to press against his mouth harder and return the same intensity that he held. But as intense as the embrace was, it was not rushed. Inuyasha took his time before deepening the kiss, listening as she whimpered appreciatively against his mouth and returned it just the same. His lips separated from hers and trailed along her jaw down to her neck where he turned that "pup kiss" from before into something a bit more mature.

     She took in a sharp breath and held him tighter as the sharp fangs swept across her skin, lingering on the side of her neck. His lips suddenly moved to her throat and pressed searing little kisses against the flesh there. She found that her breathing was now a labored task.

     "Inuyasha," she breathed.

     Inuyasha placed his mouth over hers again, bracing her back as they sank down to the floor.

     "MOM!"

     The pair holding each other in their arms separated suddenly as the annoying shout hit their ears.

     Souta merely smiled at them from the top of the staircase and then turned and ran down the hall, shouting the entire way. "Inuyasha and Kagome are getting fresh under the Christmas tree!"

     Two seconds later the upstairs lights flicked on and Mrs. Higurashi could be heard scrambling for her bathrobe as angry shouts came from Grandpa's room. 

     Inuyasha cringed when he heard the old man shouting for spell scrolls.

     Kagome growled. "Do you want to kill him, or can I?"

     Inuyasha grinned like a hunter about to go after his prey and leaned down so Kagome could jump on his back. "We'll both get him."

     Kagome jumped up and grasped Inuyasha around his shoulders. "Souta, we're going to get you!" She squealed with laughter when Inuyasha took off up the stairs.

     That was the last time Souta was going to interrupt one of their little moments.

A/N: Poor Souta. Lol. Oh well, I hope you all enjoyed. Review please! God Bless! ~ _Of Memories Past_


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